5 Best Software Development Methodologies

Looking For Software Development Methodologies?

Custom software can provide more efficient and specialized solution to various business problems. This is certainly the reasons businesses are spending billions of dollars on software development every year. However, developing that software can seem like an insurmountable task. Choosing the right development methodology before you begin can help makes things a lot easier. Read the guide to learn about some of the most popular software development methodologies and best use cases for them.Choosing Between Software Development Methodologies
Picking a model to use when developing software should be your first step. You need to consider several factors when choosing how to run through the software development lifecycle. These include:

Project requirementsEnd goalCost of delayFrequency of change requests

The development methodology you choose will mostly depend on your clarity in each of these factors. If you have very clear knowledge of what you want and how you plan to get there a simpler model will likely work well. A complex design with frequent modifications and a high cost of delay will need significant flexibility built in.

1. Waterfall Model
This is the granddaddy of software development systems, developed in 1970. It’s a straightforward methodology that works well for uncomplicated implementations. Waterfall works by completing each phase of a project in sequence. You use information and tools from the previous step to complete the next phase. It’s simple to manage and easy for everyone involved to understand. The downside is its relative inflexibility.

If there’s a problem at any stage of the project it will impact all later stages. You can’t simply move resources to the next stage with a previous stage unfinished. Any issues or bugs that go undetected in an earlier stage are also difficult to repair.

2. Agile Development
Agile is a popular development model that is based on 12 principles. Agile uses self-organizing teams to devise the most effective way to develop software. Specific concepts such as user stories, personas, and iterative development are the key. This allows the different teams to develop a product that best fits the needs of users.
Agile incorporates frequent testing stages throughout the development process. This makes it very flexible when dealing with mistakes.

3. V-Shaped Model
The V-shaped model is basically a modified form of Waterfall. Each development phase is completely sequentially but is then thoroughly tested. It is also called the Verification and Validation model. For every phase of development both acceptance and user testing is performed. Its focus is on identifying any issues before the end of the development cycle.

4. Big Bang Model

3Si2 Software Development Methodologies

The Big Bang model is a bare-bones development methodology. There is very little planning or design. Instead, almost all effort is put towards the development phase. This can work well for small projects with well-understood requirements. For larger projects though, the risk of delays and failure outweigh the benefits.

5. Spiral Model
The Spiral model is designed to be as flexible as possible. In Spiral you move between four stages of development cyclically until the desired product is achieved. The four stages are:

Objective determinationRisk identificationDevelopment

In Review

This provides effectively limitless flexibility for improvement and error correction. All software development methodologies have pros and cons. No single process will work for every project. By weighing your requirements and goals against potential costs you’re better able to choose the one that fits your needs. To learn more about software development or to inquire about developing custom software, contact us for a consultation.